


Revelations

by SethLost



Series: Oneshots and Short Stories [3]
Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Character Death, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Resurrection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:26:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29527773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SethLost/pseuds/SethLost
Summary: A rewrite of MatPat's death in Season 3, from his perspective.
Relationships: The Detective | Matthew Patrick & Everyone, The Detective | Matthew Patrick & The Jet Setter | Rosanna Pansino
Series: Oneshots and Short Stories [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2060223
Kudos: 12





	Revelations

He knew what was facing him the moment Manny's name was drawn alongside his. Death, with eight eyes, was waiting for him, and he felt it hovering over his shoulder even before the challenge started.

MatPat was not the strongest one of the group, not at all. He stayed due to his observing and intelligent mind, and not how easy it was for him to lift a bucket of water. Manny, on the other hand, was notoriously broad shouldered, and so when the contest was revealed to be about pure muscle, Matt had already accepted his end.

It didn't make it easy to ignore the whispers in his ears, telling him every try was worthless.

He wouldn't give up, though.

He tied it with two to two, fighting with every last ounce of resolve he had inside, but when the tiebreaker was decided as arm wrestling, he signed his contract to death. Manny teased him, but he only stopped when his wrist hit the mat.

But no malice filled him as he felt the strongman's arm grip his throat, no hatred as he was dragged across the gravel road, only fear for his friends. 

Find the second coin, he screamed, find the coin.

The world vanished to fuzzy white specks as he struggled to breathe, he screamed as his ribs cracked and broke, and then it was gone.

Nothing.

Vaguely, he heard voices. They whispered to him, asking if he really was sacrificed, they really chose to lose him?

There were apologies, reassurances, but he had no strength to respond.

His lack of strength got him killed, after all.

And there he floated, for a small while, content with this ending. There seemed to be no push to think, it was mindless and he was okay with that.

Until he felt eyes open, and saw something connected to him.

The center of the formless blob he now saw was him had a feathery gold thread attached to the center. He glanced around, seeing other specks floating, and he tried to yell for help. I should stay dead. I should be here.

The thread tightened and pulled, painfully, and he felt the mass that was him start to solidify. The masses around him became glass cages, and he saw faces, people he knew, staring at him with jealousy, or glee, or understanding, wishing him luck or wishing him pain. A golden light grew larger in front of his eyes, now truly eyes, and a hand grabbed his, color returning to his lifeless body, and he was yanked out of the emptiness.

A church stood in front of him, and a woman steadied him. Her partner, an Asian man, nodded, and motioned at the doors of the church, and he studied them. Testing his mouth, he said, "I'm going back?"

The woman smirked, and pushed him through.  
His vision went white, and everything exploded in pain.

Matt's breathe was ripped out of him, as he lay limply on cold hard dirt.

Carefully, he opened his eyes. The trash can was still next to him. He was still in the ridiculous red shorts, and he pulled his legs closer, feeling self conscious, before he realized there was no one around him.

The lights in the arcade were on, still, and he saw a briefcase at the door.

Okay. Time to get up.

He braced himself on the trash can and pulled himself up, his chest screaming as the ribs rubbed painfully against each other. Stumbling, he felt the skin on his throat. It throbbed with each heartbeat.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something bright yellow in the trash. His jacket. His clothes.  
He reached in and changed, quickly, throwing the awful sports gear in the can. He could do this. He was alive. Just a little bit, and he can go back home.

He took a weary step towards the arcade. Then another. Then another, and soon enough he stumbled onto the wall, breathing painfully. The briefcase was gone. The door was still closed.  
He opened it slowly and went inside.

Joey was there. Nikita, Manny, Safiya, Ro...  
Nikita saw him first.

She gasped and pointed, and Joey turned, they all turned, someone screamed, his hearing went fuzzy.

He was actually back. He was alive.

Someone led him to the couch. He couldn't see, couldn't hear, but soon he was enveloped in a hug.  
Ro.

He ignored the pain from his chest and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and rocking her back and forth. "Ro..."

"Matt." She crushed him close, painfully so, but it didn't matter--she was here, in his arms, alive, she was alive. They were alive.

"It worked," Joey murmered, and finally, Matt could let go of Ro, looking into the eyes of the man that condemned him to death.

He waited for a spark of some fury in his chest, but Manny's eyes were too close to tears.  
Matt threw his arms around him, too.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it, I-"

"Manny, it's okay. It's okay." He rocked him side to side a bit, the man's arms strong and supporting around his back. "I never blamed you. Ever."

Letting go, he turned to see Nikita, a smug look on her face. Matt was observant, though. He didn't miss the emotion hidden behind her makeup, not one bit.

He pulled her in and buried his face into her shoulder. She was sturdy, but patted his back gently.

"If you were gonna come back raging mad at Manny, this would be a different story." She let go and put her hands on her hips.

"I would expect nothing less." Matt smiled.

Safiya stepped closer, embracing him gently. "Good to have you back, Matt."

He didn't know her well, only a little, but he felt all her strength and determination. The anxiety within him calmed slightly, and his feet felt a little more grounded in reality.

He turned, and Joey made eye contact with him.  
"Welcome back."

"Joey." Matt studied him carefully. Something about him was so sad, now, and he could feel it.  
"You brought me back?" Matt asked.

Safiya nodded. "It was the logical decision."

"...Thank you." Finally, he wrapped Joey in a hug, whispering gently. "The others say hello."  
There was a sniffle, and Joey let go, discreetly wiping his eyes.

"We've got another artifact." Mortimer stepped back into the room, and it was back to work.


End file.
